Rishi Sunak’s five priorities have dominated his public appearances in 2023, appearing in speeches and on platforms throughout the year.
After the chaos of 2022, he set out the five pledges in a New Year speech, promising to halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut NHS waiting times and stop small boat crossings.
Saying there would be “no tricks, no ambiguity” on delivering the pledges, the Prime Minister asked the public to judge his Government on “results”.
As we come to the end of the year, we have ranked his efforts to deliver on his five priorities in order of success:
1st: Halving inflation
UK inflation eased back to its lowest level for more than two years last month as falling petrol prices helped drive a bigger-than-expected fall.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the rate of Consumer Prices Index inflation fell to 3.9 per cent in November, down from 4.6 per cent in October, and the lowest level since September 2021.
But as several people have pointed out on social media, the government has little control over the rate of inflation and even if they did, people will still feel poorer as a result of it going up.
One person who needed reminding of that fact was the deputy chair of the Conservative Party Lee Anderson, who was referred to Carol Vorderman’s online maths school after this absolute howler.
2nd: Grow the economy
Rishi Sunak proudly declared that “the economy is growing” last month in a video filmed in Downing Street.
Three days later it was shown to be flatlining and now revised figures show that Britain could be heading for a recession.
Gross domestic product (GDP) fell by a revised 0.1 per cent against the zero growth initially estimated, the ONS said.
It also flatlined during the second quarter of the year, after prior estimates showed 0.2 per cent growth, painting a bleaker picture for the economy.
3rd: Reduce government debt
To give credit where it is due, Jeremy Hunt has remained unwavering amidst calls from the Tory right to slash taxes in an era where public spending cuts are having a devastating effect on public services.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t helped the chancellor reduce government debt.
Government borrowing was higher than expected last month amid greater benefits costs and increased interest payments, according to official figures.
However, it was lower than the same month last year after the Government spent significantly less on energy support for households.
But the Government has borrowed over £24 billion more so far this financial year compared with a year ago, which means the chances of election-boosting tax cuts could be fading.
4th: Cut NHS waiting times
Victoria Atkins has suggested that the Prime Minister’s pledge to cut NHS waiting lists relies on the “threat” of further NHS strikes being “removed”.
Which makes videos like this all the more puzzling.
With NHS waiting list standing at 7.8 million — half a million more than in January – Sunak needs Victoria Atkins fanning the flames on industrial action like a hole in the head.
Regrettably, that is precisely what she has just done.
5th: Stop The Boats
A planned address from the prime minister on immigration was revealed to have been quietly canned this week by Number 10 amid concerns that the government’s “stop the boats” plan could be in crisis.
Rishi Sunak had been expected to make a statement in December outlining progress on the Rwanda deportation scheme and plans to house asylum seekers in ships such as the Bibby Stockholm and in former barracks, Whitehall sources have told the Guardian.
But the planned speech has been shelved after Conservative party splits over the Rwanda bill, the suspected suicide of an Albanian man on the Bibby Stockholm in Portland, Dorset, and a failure to place asylum seekers in large numbers into surplus MoD accommodation.
Related: Ian Hislop’s demolition of Rishi Sunak is devastatingly on point